Kolkata: Next time you dump waste on vacant plots and on waterbodies in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area, be prepared to pay a hefty fine. The civic authorities will install display boards on vacant plots and waterbodies across its 41 wards, warning that littering or dumping waste at these locations may attract penalties ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
A total of 766 display boards will be installed, with 681 for vacant plots and 85 for waterbodies. The BMC health department is spearheading the initiative to install these boards.
Locals have noted that there are several vacant plots across the BMC area that have become waste dumping sites and potential mosquito breeding grounds. There are over 1,000 vacant plots across Salt Lake and adjoining areas. In addition to waste dumping, some plots have even been occupied by unauthorised settlers.
BMC officials have consistently urged people not to throw waste into vacant plots and waterbodies. "The offenders could be penalised depending on the amount of waste being thrown. The fines will be included in the individual or establishment's property tax bill," said a BMC official.